Winding and setting mechanism for watches.



PATENTED FEB. 21., 1905.

F. GHEVILLAT. WINDING AND SETTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHES.

APiLIOATION FILED DBO. 31, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANOOIS OHEVILLAT. OF BIEL. SVIITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO SOCIETFI ANONYMELOUIS BRANDT & FRERE, OF BIENNE, SIVITZERLAND, A COR- PORATION OFSWITZERLAND.

WINDING AND SETTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,018, dated February21, 1905.

Application filed December 31, 1903. Serial No. 187,273.

To (,LZZ whom, an vncty concern:

Be it known that I, FRANcoIs OHEVILLAT, a citizen of Switzerland,residing at Biel, canton of Berne, Switzerland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Winding and Setting Mechanisms, of whichthe following is a clear, full, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvementin watch winding and settingmechanisms, and

IQ especially to such as are operated from the stem of the watch.

The object of my invention is to improve and simplify the constructionand operation of such devices.

My invention will be pointed out in the claims terminating thisspecification.

- A preferred form of my invention is represented in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 shows in plan the watch-winding position ofthe parts. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 on the line of the stem. Fig. 3is a plan showing the setting position of the parts, and Figs. 4: and 5are details showing the parts 5 of the compound or yielding leverseparated from the other parts.

All the above figures are on an enlarged or exaggerated scale.

In fitting stem winding and setting move- 3 ments into cases it hasusually been necessary to carefully fit or adjust the connection of thewinding and setting mechanism with the stem to guard against strainingor breaking the parts by a relatively too great travel of the Stem.

One object of my invention is to so construct the parts that an excessof travel of the stem or any part actuated thereby will be automaticallycompensated or allowed for, so that 4 an excess of travel can cause notrouble, thereby obviating the necessity for accurate fitting andadjustment of the parts. I accomplish this result by inserting anautomatically-yielding or spring member in the train of mechanismconnecting the stem and the shifting-clutch or equivalent member,thereby providing for the harmless absorption of any excess motion orovertravel of the stem. With such a construction it is not necessary toadjust the travel of the stem accurately to the movement of 5 theshifting mechanism, it being sufiicient that the travel be enough toinsure shifting of the clutch, any slight travel over this amount beingabsorbed by the spring or yielding memher.

1 will now describe the construction of the preferred form of myinvention herein illustrated, from which the principles of my in ventionwill appear, and the same will be evident when embodied in other forms.

6 represents the stem, which has a squared or angular end 6 fittingwithin a similarlyshaped socket in the outer end of the sleeve or falsestem (0, the latter being free to turn in the frame and supported at itsinner end by a bearing in a bracket f, carried by the frame. This sleeveis preferably fixed; but I do not limit myself to a construction inwhich the sleeve cannot move longitudinally. Upon the sleeve (4 isloosely mounted a wheel 0, which is adapted to connect with thewatch-winding mechanism and has a set of teeth adapted to be engaged bya corresponding set upon a double-faced shifting clutch member (Z, thelatter sliding freely upon but rotated by the squared portion of thesleeve (0. A wheel 11. connected with the watch-setting mechanism is inposition to be engaged and turned by the clutch member when in theposition shown in Fig. 3;

The shifting clutch member (Z is moved by a lever on, which has an endlying within a circular groove in the clutch member (Z. The end 3 of asecond lever Z engages with a notch in the first lever m, therebyactuating the lat 8 5 ter. The lever Z? turns upon a pivot 71, which ispreferably fixed, and has lugs or contactsurfaces 1 and 2, one at eachside of its pivot, adapted to engage similar surfaces upon a third lever2', which is mounted to turn about 9 the same pivot.

The pivot-opening in the sleeve i is of an oval shape, being longesttransversely of the length of the lever, or rather of the lineconnecting the contact-points 1 and 2, whereby the lever 2' may berocked so as to separate one of the said set of contact-points. The twolevers l: and 2' are held together or in their normal position by meansof a spring 70. two levers may be considered as a compound or two-partlever having a spring or yielding connection. device these parts wouldbe maintained in fixed relation to each other by the action of thespring, except when an overtravel of the stem occurs.

The stem Z) is connected with the above set of levers by means of alongitudinally-moving part, preferably a pin g, which lies within thehollow of the sleeve a. By its upper end this pin is engaged andactuated by the stem 7) and by its lower end engages and actuates thelever vi.

The spring 7b in addition to holding the two levers t' and Z: togetheracts to rock them upon their pivot, and thereby to shift the mechanismto the setting position or that shown in Fig. 3, in which the pin 5 israised and the clutch (Z lowered.

\Vhen in the operation of the device the stem 6 is pushed in fartherthan is necessary to shift the clutch into its proper position, thespring IL and pivot-slot 5 permits the lever "I to continue its movementafter the lever Z: has stopped, the lever rocking upon thecontact-points 1 and separating the contact-points 2. This is permittedby the slotted or elongated character of the hole 5 in this leverthrough which the pivot c" passes. No damage is thus caused byovertravel of the stem or the pin g, and consequently an accurateadjustment of their travel relative to that of the clutch is notnecessary.

It will be observed that when the parts are moved from the positionshown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1 the left end of the lever '1' isfulcrumed upon the part 1 of the lever 71:, and that this lever 2'therefore moves or shifts transversely of this fulcrum and alsotransversely of the line connecting the contactpoints 1 and 2.

1t is evident that the particular construction shown and above describedmay be replaced 'by numerous others which will as well accomplish thedesired result. The detailed illustration and description of other formsdoes not seem to be necessary to a complete disclosure of my invention,and therefore I have not herein illustrated them. ldo not by reason ofsuch omission wish to be understood aslimiting my invention to the formshown, as I am aware that many variations may be made without departingfrom the scope of my invention as claimed.

What I claim is 1. Ashifting mechanism for watches comprising areciprocating shifting device, a

clutch adapted to engage alternately with the winding and settingtrains, an actuating mechanism between said shifting device and clutchand comprising two levers, one of which has These 5 In the normaloperation of the a floating pivot between its ends, and a springpressing one end of said lever against said shifting device and adaptedto resist the movement of said lever, the other end of said leverengaging said other lever.

2. A shifting mechanism for watch winding and setting devices comprisingtwo lovers mounted upon a common pivot and having a yielding actuatingconnection with each other, and contacting with each other on oppositesides of said pivot, one of said levers being capable of shiftingtransversely of its fulcrum and of the line eonnecti ng theircontact-points, and a spring holding said points in contact.

3. A shifting mechanism for watch winding and setting devices containingtwo levers one fixedly mounted upon a pivot, the other lever beingadapted to engage with the lirst lever at points on either side of itspivot, and a spring holding said levers in engagement and permittingrelative rocking upon their contacting points.

at. A shifting mechanism for watch winding and setting devicescontaining two lovers mounted upon a common pivot, the pivotopening ofone of said levers being slotted to permit rocking movement transverselyof the lever, said levers having contact-points upon opposite sides oftheir pivots, and a spring holding said points yieldingly in contact.

5. A winding and setting mechanism for watches comprising alongitudinally-movable part constituting the primary member of ashifting device, a clutch adapted to be engaged alternately with thewatch-winding and with the watch-setting mechanisms, and an actuatingmechanism connecting said longitudinallymovable part and cl utch andcomprising a lever having a floating pivot and a spring acting to resistthe movement of said floating pivot caused by overtravel of saidlongitudinallymovable part.

6. A shifting mechanism for watch winding and setting devices comprisinga pin constituting the primary actuating member, a clutch adapted to bealternately engaged with the watch-winding and with the watch-settingmechanisms, and an actuati ngtrain connecting said pin and clutch andcontainingtwo levers, and a spring binding said levers together to actas one and yielding to overtravel of the pin.

'7. A shifting mechanism for watch setting and winding devicescomprising two members connected respectively with the watch-winding andwith the watch-setting mechanisms, a clutch device adapted for alternateengagement with both of said members, a lever engaging said clutch toshift it, a second lever actuating said first-named lever, a third leveractuating the second lever, a stem or pin engaging the third lever andadapted to be actuated by the watch-stem, and a yieldingmembercontrolling the connection between the second and third levers.

8. In a Winding and setting mechanism in combination, alongitudinally-movable member adapted to be engaged and moved by aWatch-stem, a shiftable clutch adapted to engage alternately With theWinding and With the setting train, a plurality of levers adapted totransmit motion from said longitudinallymovable member to said clutch toshift the same, one of said levers having afloating pivot and a springattached to the Watch-plate and bearing on said lever and adapted tocause it to move said clutch into the said position.

9. In a Winding and setting mechanism in combination, a reciprocatingpart, two levers moved in at least one direction thereby, one of saidlevers being mounted on a fixed pivot, said levers being adapted tocontact With each other on each side of said pivot, said other leverbeing adapted to yield and be fulcrumed on said first lever at one sideof said pivot, and a spring resisting the yielding of said lever.

10. In a Winding and setting mechanism in combination, a reciprocatingpart, two levers moved in at least one direction thereby, one of saidlevers being mounted on a fixed pivot, said levers being adapted tocontact with each other on each side of said pivot, said other leverbeing adapted to yield and be fulcrumed on said first lever at one sideof said pivot, and a spring resisting the yielding of said lever andalso pressing said yielding lever against said reciprocating part.

Signed at Biel (Bienne) this 7th day of December, 1903.

FRANCOIS CHEVILLAT. itnesses:

L. A. LUTZ, F. H. BERIL.

